Next-Generation iPhone Components Begin to Surface, Starting with the Home Button

Apple Bitch is pointing to TVC-Mall, a Chinese parts retailer is now offering “iPhone 5” home buttons for sale, available in both black and white. These buttons are a slightly different in size than what we’ve seen on all previous iOS devices to date.

These buttons look much like an iOS icon, with a square edge and rounded corners, while retaining a circular depression we’ve all come to know and love. What remains undetermined is wether the squared portion of this part will be visible to the end-user, or if it will be under the faceplate of the device.

I would wager that the squared-off portion will lie below the surface of the device, and to the end user, the home button will remain the same as it always has. Regardless of what Apple does with this part, its existence deflates rumors that Apple will be using a capacitive home button, or a gesture area instead of a physical button.

TVC-Mall has a good track record of leaking genuine parts, ahead of the official launch of a next-generation device. It’s also worth noting that these leaks can come from weeks to months in advance of a product launch, so it really doesn’t work as a good predictor on when we might see a new iPhone.